A lesson in history, for history

Ninth-graders spent several hours Thursday clearing brush and debris from the fences and burial plots along East McCarty Street.

The cleanup of Fairview/City and Woodland cemeteries was coordinated by H.O.P.E. (Helping Others with Positive Efforts), a club that works to improve the school and community.

Simonsen Ninth Grade Center’s community partner, Capital Region Medical Center, helped implement this Characterplus project by providing work gloves for the students and encouraging staff to volunteer if they were able.

“This is a unique project we hope takes off,” said Lindsay Huhman, spokesman for the hospital.

The city is responsible for the maintenance of the cemetery, which dates back to 1825, said Donald Beck, property inspector.

Boy Scout troops and Eagle Scouts projects also have helped care for the cemetery. And it’s a good educational tool to bring young people in to understand what the cemetery holds, Beck said.

“The more aware people become of the cemetery and the history there, the better,” he said. “Then students may think of it as an historic site and not just a place to drive by at Halloween.”